Detachable casket-handle.



LA ROY GOVRO.

DETACHABLE CASKET HANDLE.

APPLICATION FILED ocT. 6. 1915.

1,1 85,655. Pat ehted June 6, 1916 Witnesses la Inventor DETACHABLE CASKET-HANDLE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patentgd June 6, 1916,

Application filed October 6, 1915. Serial No. 54,447.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LA ROY GovRo, a citizen of the United States, residing at Neodesha, in the county of Wilson and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Detachable Casket-Handle, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention appertains to handles, and aims to provide a novel and improved detachable handle adapted especially for use on caskets, although the handle may be'used for divers purposes.

It is the object of the invention to provide novel means for detachably applying a handle to a casket or other object, whereby the handle is not liable to be detached accidentally, although it can be removed readily by proper manipulation thereof.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of the character indicated wherein the working parts are normally concealed so as not to encumber or mar the appearance of the handle, although the handlemay be readily applied to and removed from the casket or object.

It is also within the scope of the invention to provide a device of the nature indicated which is comparatively simple and inexpensive in construction, as well as being convenient, practical and'eflective in use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood v that changes in the precise embodiment of the in vention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is an elevation of the improved handle. Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1, this view being on an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevation of the keeper plate. Fig. 4: is a rear view of one of the handle plates and accompanying parts.

In the drawing, there is illustrated a portion of one wall of a casket 1, which 'maybe taken to typify any suitable ob ect to which the present handle is applicable. Thecasket is usually covered or faced, as at 2, with velvet, plush, or other material.

In carrying out the lnvention, there is provided a keeper plate 3 secured by means of screws or in any other suitable manner to the outer surface of the casket or object 1, preferably within a recess 1 with which the casket is provided, so that the plate 3 is fiush with the body of the casket. keeper plate 3 has an upper opening or slot 5 and a lower opening 6 below the opening 5, the lower end ofthe upper opening 5 being beveled, as at 7, with the bevel facing outwardly. The facing or covering 2 preferably covers the keeper plate 3, but does not extend across the openings 5 and 6, whereby the keeper plate is concealed as much as possible. The casket 1 is provided The V with a chamber or cavity 8 in rear of the V openings 5 and 6. There are'two of the keeper plates 3 for each handle.

Each handle also embodies two handle plates 9 preferably of ornamental appearance, and each provided with a central outstanding ear 10. The bifurcated ends 11 of a pair of'arms 12 straddle the cars 10, and

are pivoted thereto by means of pivot pins or rivets 13 engaged through the bifurcated ends or forks 11' of the arms 12 and'the ears 10. The free ends of the arms 12 have rings or collars 14 through which the ends of the hand hold or handle proper 15 are engaged. The plates 9, arms 12 and hand hold15 may be ornamented or embellished in anyv manner preferred. Each of the handle plates 9 wardly, and has its forward face beveled or inclined, as at 19. The hook 18 is insertible rearwardly through the opening 6 of the respective keeper plate 3, whereby the plate 9 in being moved upwardly will bring the beveled face 19 of the hook into contact with the rear face of the keeper plate 3, for

-drawing the handle plate 9 toward and downwardly toward the hook 18, and the latch 21 is insertible through the opening 5 of the respective keeper plate 3 to drop in back of the keeper plate, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

The latch 21 is spring pressed, and to this end a wire or equivalent spring 28 has one end secured, as at 2 1, to the back of the plate 9 above the bifurcated end or portion 11' of the respective arm 12, and the free end of the spring 23'bears against the rounded face 25 of the latch 21. The spring 23 has a coil 26 to increase the resiliency of the spring. The spring bears downwardly against the latch 21, and thereby normally swings the latch downwardly.

The latches 21 have flat faces 27 above their pivots 22, upon which faces the lugs 17 are adapted to rest, when the hand hold 15 is swung away from the casket 1, whereby the latches 21 are held in holding po sitions.

To apply the handle to the casket 1, the plates 9 are brought adjacent the keeper plates 3, with the arms 12 in depending or pendant position, and the free ends of the latches 21 are brought against the bevels 7 of the keeper plates. The handle plates 9 are then moved downwardly, the latches 21 being held by the bevels 7, so that the latches 21 are swung upwardly relative to the plates 9. The hooks 18 are then brought downwardly into alinement with the openings 6, and the plates 9 are forced rearwardly to move the hooks 18 through said openings 6, so that the hooks can engage in rear of the keeper plates. The plates 9 in being forced rearwardly will cause the latches 21 to snap through the openings 5, and then by moving the plates 9 upwardly, the inclined faces 19 I of the hooks 18 bear against the rear sides of the keeper plates 8 for wedgedly securing the plates 9 to the casket. The latches 21 will spring downwardly to engage in rear of the plates 3, which will assist in holding the handle plates 9 in place, and this will also assist in lifting the plates 9 for holding the hooks 18 in engagement therewith. Then, when the hand hold 15 is grasped and moved outwardly, the lugs 17 in bearing upon the faces 27 of the latches 21, will limit theupward movement of the hand hold, and furthermore, this will prevent the latches 21 from swinging upwardly. As a consequence, the latches 21 cannot be accidentally disengaged from the keeper plates 3 when the hand hold is swung outwardly.

To remove the handle, the arms 12 are swung downwardly to remove the lugs 17 from the latches 21, which permits the latches to swing upwardly, and the plates 9 are then slid downwardly, to allow the hooks 18 to be retracted through the openings 6. The plates 9 are then raised to disengage the hooks 18 from the keeper plates, and the keeper plates.

latches 21 may then be retracted out of the During the removal of the handle from the casket, as well as during the application of the handle to the casket, the handle must be left in a depending position, to allow the latches 21 to swing. Otherwise the handle cannot be applied or removed.

The advantages of the device will suggest themselves from the foregoing taken in connection with the drawing, it being evi dent that one set of handles may be used repeatedly, since they can be readily applied to the caskets before interment, the handles being removed before the casket is lowered into the grave. It will be evident by reference to Figs. 1 and 2, that the working parts are concealed in back of the handle plates 9, so that the appearance of the handle is not destroyed or marred by any objectionable protuberances.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. Ina device of the character described, a keeper plate having upper and lower openings, a handle plate having a rearwardly projecting hook movable through the lower opening, the bill of the hook projecting upwardly into contact with the rear side of the keeper plate by an upward movement, a hook-shaped latch pivoted to the handle plate to swing upwardly and downwardly and projecting rearwardly therefrom to move through the upper opening, and a spring to swing said latch downwardly to engage in rear of the keeper plate.

2. In a device of the character described, akeeper plate having upper and lower openings, the upper opening having its lower end beveled, a handle plate having a rearwardly projecting hook movable through the lower opening, the bill of the hook proj ecting upwardly and having a beveled face to contact with the rear side of the keeper plate, a hook-shaped latch pivoted to the handle plate to swing upwardly and downwardly and projecting rearwardly therefrom to engage said beveled end of the upper opening and to move through said opening, and a spring attached to the handle plate and bearing downwardly upon the latch to swing the same downwardly to engage in rear of the keeper plate.

3. In a device of the character described, a keeper plate having an opening, a handle plate having a hook engageable through said opening with the keeper plate, a latch carried by one of said plates and engageable with the other for holding the plates assembled, and an arm pivoted to the handle plate and having means for holding said latch in place when the arm is swung.

4c. In a device of the character described, a keeper plate having two openings, a handle plate having a hook engageable through one of said openings with the keeper plate,

a hook-shaped latch pivoted to the handle plate to move through the other opening and to swing toward said hook for holding the plates assembled, and an arm pivoted to the handle plate, said arm and latch having cooperable means whereby when said arm is swung it will hold the latch in engagement with the keeper plate.

5. In a device of the character described, a keeper plate having upper and lower openings, a handle plate having a rearwardly projecting hook engageable through the lower opening and having its bill projecting upwardly, said handle plate having an outstanding ear and a rearwardly projecting ear in rear of said outstanding ear, a hookshaped latch having a bifurcated end pivoted to the rearwardly projecting ear, said latch being movable rearwardly through the upper opening to swing downwardly into engagement with the keeper plate, and an arm having abifurcated portion straddling and pivoted to the outstanding ear, the handle plate having openings at the opposite side of said outstanding ear for accommodating said bifurcated portion of'said arm,

and said bifurcated portion having rearwardly projecting lugs movable wardly upon the latch for holding the latch in engagement with the keeper plate.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afi ixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

LA ROY GOVRO.

Witnesses:

B. H. GooDsoN, E. H. MERKLE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner or Fatents,

' Washington, D. (2.

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